Saturday, August 07, 2010

The irony that Tara was writing a othptomology exam
at a center for the visually impaired
was lost on the staff at the center

Tara and I spent a couple of days in Buffalo New York this past weekend. Tara was writing the first part of her Veterinary Ophthalmology board exams. These exams are at the end of her residency and she needs to pass in order to become a ophthalmologist. The exams were on the long weekend; the organization Tara is involved with (American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology) is North America wide, but centered in the US where they don't have a holiday in August. Consequently, Tara got to spent two 8 hour days in front of a computer and I spent some time wandering the city on the long weekend. Yipee.

There are no two ways about it; Buffalo is a bit of a dump.Nearly every other building is abandoned. The sidewalks are all cracked and broken (although the curbs are all cut stone, which was surprisingly classy). Windows and doors are boarded up. Graffiti is prevalent. There are few stores, few restaurants, few parks. Even around the HSBC center where the Buffalo Sabres play there is nothing to do. The city is in decline.

Bricks everywhere

In it's hay-day, Buffalo would have been a beautiful city. Nearly all the old buildings are brick with lots of windows (now boarded or bricked up). There are both wide and narrow streets. Being so close to both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the city would have been swimming in money. It's too bad things have gone so far down hill. Interestingly, there were much much fewer street people in Buffalo than other American and Canadian cities I've been to.

Tara's exams went well and she gets the results in a couple of months. Besides 1.5 hours at the border and a couple of wrong turns looking for the hotel, the trip was a success. We even took in some shopping. That said, I'm hoping we don't need to go back any time soon.

I bet this old office building would be interesting inside

W and R with a Xed-box was on a number of buildings - I wonder what it means?